10 Tips So That Your Dog Does Not Transmit Diseases To You
The transmission of diseases between a person and a dog is simpler than it seems. To control it, it is necessary to comply with the vaccination programs, as well as to give hygiene habits the importance they deserve.
By the term “zoonosis” we refer to diseases that animals can transmit to humans. The theory tells us that the reverse is also possible, that is, that humans transmit diseases to animals through “reverse zoonosis.”
We will see below a series of guidelines that will help prevent our dog from infecting us with any disease.
Vaccination programs
It is very important to comply with the different vaccination and deworming programs for the dog. In this way we will avoid diseases such as rabies or leptospirosis, which are a great danger to the health, both of the animal and in its possible contagion to its owners.
Breastmilk
The mother female will transmit different antibodies against various diseases to the cubs through her mother’s milk. For this reason it is important that the pups and puppies are fed with this milk for as long as possible.
Kisses and licks
No matter how well cared for and sanitized we have our friend, it is never a good idea to have the habit of giving our dog kisses on the snout, as well as allowing him to lick our face. They smell many things, including the tails of other dogs, where a few bacteria and parasites live.
Although it inspires tenderness and is very affectionate to observe how our friend licks our faces, let’s not forget that they tend to clean their genitals with their tongue, and they also lick other things more repulsive to us humans. We must find other forms of expression of affection.
The legs of the dog
When we return from the daily walk with our pet, it is advisable to clean their legs well, which tend to get wet, remain damp and form an ideal breeding ground for fungi.
Bathing and brushing
It is necessary to bathe our dog frequently for hygiene and to inspect it for fungi and fleas. If we discover any type of alteration in your skin, it is best not to touch with your bare hands and go to the vet.
Disinfecting your space
The place where our friend sleeps must be very clean and free of infections.
Be careful with the walks
When taking our pet for a walk to places where there are usually other dogs, or if we live in the countryside, etc., it is essential to prevent our dog from having contact with the urine and feces of other animals to avoid diseases such as brucellosis. We will not let him drink sewage, if he gets into swamps and other humid areas in the field we will bathe him immediately when he gets home and we will prevent him from coming into contact with wild animals or carriers of other diseases such as rats.
We also infect them
If we carry a contagious disease, we must also be careful not to infect our pet. It has been shown that we can infect them with some diseases such as mumps, golden staphylococcus, tuberculosis and even fleas ; However, it should be clarified that this is very unlikely and that historically there have been very isolated cases.
Diseases like ringworm
In the analysis of the diseases that our dog can infect us, there is ringworm. Ringworm spores are produced by fungi and a pet could pick up the fungal infection. We will observe the symptoms of this disease through lesions on the dog’s skin, patches of hair loss, red spots on the dermis, etc.
Hookworms
Hookworms suck on the intestinal lining of dogs, causing life-threatening blood loss, especially when it occurs in puppies. The eggs of these parasites found in pet feces could be transferred through the skin in pet owners if we step on, for example, the feces with bare feet.
The symptoms of this disease in our dog will mainly be diarrhea and weight loss.
Regarding the manifestations of this disease in humans, although they are not frequent, it can cause skin eruptions with itching, coughing, wheezing, stomach pain, anemia or loss of appetite.
Effective treatment usually contains dewormers prescribed for pets, and people should check with their doctor.
